Makers Empire

Makers Empire is a 3D design tool enabling students to create, download, and print original or community-based objects. The teacher dashboard is a hub of activity where teachers can create classes, add students, view and comment on students' designs, browse or build lessons, complete interactive tutorials, and more. Students can use a tablet, mobile device, or laptop/desktop computer to access the software, joining via class code, QR code, or teacher import. Students need only a username and password to get started, and once they sign in, they can customize their avatar, complete challenges, and access the design modules. Designs can be as simple as modifying existing characters and working with shapes, or as complex as using blocks to build structures or even entire cities.

Students will likely need to complete one or more of the design tutorials to learn the functions of the various features and buttons, but they'll be motivated by the feedback, leveling up, and accumulation of tokens they can use to unlock designs or components. Once students finish their designs, they can make them public or private, but teachers will still have access. Users can also comment on others' designs, view feedback from teachers, classmates, or other users, and even enter their designs into competitions. The Gallery is a great feature -- there are some gems -- but with nearly two million uploaded designs, users will want to use the filters to find desired content.

Putting students in the driver's seat opens up a wealth of learning opportunities. It's a challenge to find a tool that can engage students as they learn difficult concepts, but with lessons on spatial reasoning, engineering, literature, and ancient civilizations, Makers Empire provides a platform that teachers can use to promote content knowledge, technical skills, and soft skills, and prepare students for challenges in and out of school. 3D design can be a great teacher for promoting a growth mindset, as students create designs that flop -- and then work to turn them around. Starting students early on the path to persistence, creativity, and imagination lays the groundwork for collaboration and innovation -- teaching students to be not just consumers, but creators -- and empowers them to develop problem-solving skills so greatly needed in our global society.

Makers Empire provides an effective platform, but it will take organized, thoughtful, and deliberate planning to ensure that students are doing more than building random designs just for fun. Teachers should be prepared for some student frustration and some rudimentary designs at the beginning (process over product is a good starting mindset). Also, while a 3D printer is not required, students might be frustrated at the thought of creating designs that will never become concrete objects. As students advance their skills, teachers should be prepared to support them in bringing their designs to completion.